Importance of time management

That’s how much time everyone is allotted daily. Isn’t it then quite a puzzle how some people manage to do more work in this span while others lag?

Think of it. Elon Musk. The guy is involved with a handful of top companies in different capacities. CEO of Tesla and Neuralink. Founder of The Boring Company, SpaceX, and SolarCity. (Why do you think he’s called the real Ironman?)

Another great example is that of Casey Neistat. He’s world’s most recognized YouTuber. Founder of Beme, which was purchased by CNN. Currently creating a company called ‘368’. He runs every day for at least 10 miles. He makes interesting Vlogs on a regular basis. And most importantly, he has a lovely family of a sweet wifey and three kids with whom he spends enough time with.

How?

How do these successful people manage to get so much done than the majority even when we’re all given the same amount of time every day?

Admittedly, there are plenty of factors playing behind the curtain. However, if we are to pinpoint one important reason, it would certainly be time management.

The Art of (successful) Time Management

When you minus waste from your days and add ‘smart’ to hard work, you will get the highest level of time management. And in this day and age when social media is even stealing our nap time, this is exactly what we require—not necessarily to be just successful but to also live a healthy and satisfying life.

And this is exactly what top leaders around the world do. They manage their 24 hours of the day in the most productive way possible.

As is precepted, this doesn’t mean they spend all their days working. They do rest—rest more than many, in fact. They do chill and have fun.

It simply means that they know where and how to use each of their daily minute in the most optimal way.

For example, Annie and Becky both try to sleep for 8 hours a day. However, before sleeping, Annie uses her phone for 40 minutes. Beckie doesn’t. As is confirmed by Science, Becky, here, will get a much satisfying and refreshing sleep than Annie. Because she’s using her bedtime much more sensibly and NOT wasting it on social media feed.

Similarly, when you start using your time more carefully, you would follow the suite of most productive individuals: getting more done in less time and being happier.

Why is Time Management Important?

Now, time management isn’t just for the over-ambitious people who want to create multiple companies or achieve something over-the-top. It’s just as relevant for students, housewives and working moms as it is for the Musks, Neistats, and Zuckerbergs of the world.

Because mentioned already, the art of time management doesn’t alone fill the purpose of ‘being successful’. It’s equally important to live a healthy and satisfying life.

Its refined definition goes beyond “save time, do more work”. Today, it’s about leading a healthier and happier life by sorting your priorities and being more productive in your life. Here are 7 golden reasons why time management is more important than ever for everyone:

(i) Time > Money

If you’re like the majority, you keep a strict eye on your expense and savings. You’re very proactive and vigilant to your money.

We need a similar approach for time. Why? Because it’s really not a cliched—time is money. And unlike money, it’s a limited resource.

So, it’s important that you spend this ‘time budget’ very well without giving up on your dreams, aspirations, health and future regrets. When you have a proper time management plan, it makes sure you’re using this limited budget correctly.

(ii) Fuels productivity

This is an obvious benefit of time management. The reason why top leaders and executives around the world manage to deliver more work in a given time frame is because they plan their hours and days very carefully and well in advance. They know when to wake up, how much to work out, how much time to spend on everything at work, when to spend time with the family and how many hours to sleep. Micro-managing their days with enough flexibility is the key; they know exactly how their days will pan out.

This advanced and flawless planning of every day keeps them productive all the time.

(iii) Sort priorities

Today, we have more things than we can attend. For a mom, she has to take care of the kid, head to the office or work on her business, workout regularly to keep than rocking shape and so much more. It’s difficult to spread your attention to everything without missing the other.

Time management ensures you have sorted your priorities well. That meeting with employee never stretches and shadows your running time because you know running is the biggest priority in that particular hour.

You won’t spend time casually scrolling through your Facebook feed because you would know waking up early the next morning is more important. You won’t hit the pub with your friends on the weekend because you would know spending time with the family is of higher priority.

In short, time management sorts the mess in your schedule and prioritize tasks the right way.

(iv) De-stress life

This one is important. Very important.

We’re living in a time where we don’t get enough time to rest and feel at calm. Sane time management solves this problem effectively.

After fitting all the important responsibilities, you can avail yourself a few minutes of “me time” every day. You can make time for 15 minutes of yoga every day. You can spare yourself off the busy schedule for 30 minutes of workout at the gym daily.

With right time management skill, you can make enough time for yourself to de-stress and invest more in your and physical, emotional and mental health.

(v) When to rest…

Again, the general population is busier than ever. Do you think, with the kind and number of responsibilities Elon Musk has, he could get at least 7 hours of sleep every day?

No. Not without the right time management which sorts his priority and schedules his days with sufficient sleep.

Similarly, with everything that’s happening in your life and the fact that you’re ignoring your own health and well-being, the right time management skill will ensure you’re resting and revitalizing adequately every day.

(vi) Accomplish more

Take the example of any successful individual. You will find one of the key factors behind their eventful journey is time management. They literally managed to achieve more (and quickly, at that) by arranging the priorities and planning their days well in advance.

Due to this, they were healthier, productive and much happier. All these contributed to them achieving more every day, which translated into big success.

(vii) An eye on life

Do you think all that you’re doing every day deserves attention? Or, for that matter, how certain are you that you’re not wasting your time on things that don’t even matter?

Believe it or not, most of us aren’t living lives. Sticking to a conformist schedule that makes us feel less than happy, we’re witnessing our lives pass in front of our eyes. And this is the biggest recipe to regrets.

Indeed, time management is not an ultimate fix to this. But it does put several checks and measures on way, bringing our attention to things that matter more, which is our health, family, happiness, and dreams. And that’s adequate for us to be watchful of our lives.

These are 7 golden reasons why we need proper time management—whether you’re a business executive, work-at-home-mom, or virtually anyone.

How to manage time effectively?

Now that you know why you need it, next up let’s address how to get it.

Contrary to the general belief, effective time management is much simpler. And you don’t even need “experts” to guide you through. The simplest approach here is to be attentive to your current state, know what you want to achieve and then make day-to-day changes.

The key here is to take things slow and introduce small changes in your lifestyle instead of going for radical alteration. To make things easier, here are 9 simple tips to manage your time like a complete pro:

1. Write down what your days look like

You can’t solve a problem unless you know about its existence in the first place. This is why the first step here is to write down how your regular days look like, what you do in 24 hours, where you spend most of your time, and how you want things to be different.

2. Create a priority list

Many people never manage to utilize their time correct because they don’t have their primacies set. Don’t be one of them. In the next step, create a list of priorities. Start with what’s more important to you and then move to the least important activity. Once done, distribute your time among them accordingly.

3. Address all the distractions

You want to study but there’s something that always popups. Maybe a message from BFF. Or craving for more food. There could be plenty of distractions. The same could be applied for working professionals—they simply cannot concentrate on the work, which eventually hits their productivity.

So, find out all the distractions that are hindering your efficiency. And then resolve them individually. For example, if your phone is the distraction, keep it switched off for a duration while you study or work.

4. What do you want to achieve?

Define your goals. Why do you want to be more productive? What do you want to achieve by using your time optimally? It could be anything. Like, you want more money by working smart. Or, you want to save time so that you can spend it with the family. So, identify your goals and then put all your attention on it.

5. Invest some time in running and workouts

Working out is important. There’s no denying it. Even when you’re super busy, you’ve got to make some time to exercise every day. Every successful individual does it—and so should you!

Exercising will boost your physical and psychological health, which will add to your productivity. It will also enhance your concentration level. These benefits will cascade to, directly and indirectly, acing your time management.

6. Create a to-do list the previous night

Before sleeping every night, create a list of exact things that you want to do and achieve the next day. It doesn’t have to be long and tedious notes. Spend just 2 minutes every night. The next day, you will have a better sense of purpose and direction—both of which is important.

7. Keep a check on your social media use

Let’s not kid around it. You spend a lot of time on social media platforms—from Facebook to Instagram to Snapchat. If you are to use your time effectively, it’s essential that you track how much time you’re spending on these apps. If it’s more than 30 minutes every day, you’ve got to make significant changes in this department.

8. Learn to say ‘NO’

Stop taking responsibilities that shouldn’t be yours in the first place. Stop agreeing to everything and saying ‘yes’ to everyone. Often time, many will mistreat you out of this empathetic quality. And you don’t want that! So, learn to say ‘no’. You don’t need to do everything that comes your way.

9. Eat healthily and sleep right

When you eat healthily, it automatically keeps your mood balanced and energy intact. Similarly, when you sleep adequately, your attention remains in a balance. So, say goodbye to junk foods and ‘hi’ to green veggies and fruits. Also, invest in supplements to boost your energy and concentration level.

And, of course, sleep at least 7 hours every day without missing. (And please don’t use your phone while on bed!)

These are 9 simple tips to manage your time effectively. As is evident, you don’t have to take any drastic step and stride to any radical change in your lifestyle. Most of these steps are rather strategic and require very less of your effort.

The secret of their high efficacy will lie in how consistent you are in your attempt to manage and use your time in the best way possible.

Like they say: you control your time, you control your life. Fortunately, the former one isn’t difficult.

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